


Agathism

by EveandJohnny



Series: The Radiologist [3]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Chuck and Mako are very close friends, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Mostly Fluff, a bit angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 15:49:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12213960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveandJohnny/pseuds/EveandJohnny
Summary: Annabelle and Chuck slowly improve their friendship but then the NSA interferes.





	Agathism

Chuck had expected to feel triumph. To feel satisfaction or at least happiness. But all he really felt was: empty. He wandered through the Shatterdome without a fixed destination. His dad was busy coordinating diplomatic actions and hitting back on the U.N. He had Mako by his side who had learned how to handle those subjects when shadowing Pentecost. Raleigh was there for him, of course, but with his experience in construction on the Wall he was also a much needed manpower in rebuilding Hong Kong after the Otachi incident. He didn’t have so much time for his boyfriend as he wanted to and also had to split his attention between Chuck and Mako.

  
 But Chuck didn’t know anything else. He’d practically been raised in a Jaeger’s cockpit. Sometimes, when he’d really nowhere else to go, he ended up in the radiologist’s office. He didn’t know how she had found the time in all the cleaning-up and clearing-away - her task was to supervise a secure disposal of any nuclear remains - to finish her doctor thesis. Though whenever he knocked on her door she always shut her laptop and got up to brew a cup of tea for him. After she had seen in what disorientated state Chuck was she had started serving calming peppermint or camomile tea instead of the strong Earl Grey she preferred. First, they didn’t talk much, only about commonplaces. They still had to get used to each other after their disastrous start.  
 

Only slowly did Chuck open up about his insecurities. How useless he felt in comparison to the people he’d come to love and how lonely, too, because they were always called off for duty. He had first anticipated her to not understand or to meet his problems with well-intentioned but unhelpful pity. Instead, however, she had shared about her past, her two older siblings that had been, naturally, always one or two steps ahead. Her parents had tried hard to love them equally but she had never shaken off the feeling that success in life played a significant role in that parental love and as the youngest child one gained that later than their siblings.

“But now you are successful, you’re even going to be a doctor soon. Another person who’s ahead of me” Chuck stated bitterly.

She tilted her head and smiled cunningly. “Then why do you not change something about it? You are young, barely twenty-two, you have great muscular strength and you are nobody's fool, either. I may advice you to broaden your horizon, leave the Shatterdome for a little while and do what you have always dreamt to do. Nobody would take it amiss if that was your wish.”

Before Chuck could respond to that ridiculously phrased statement, the door banged open. They were off their chairs when it hit the metallic wall. Chuck was too occupied growling at the ill-mannered intruders to notice that she had taken something out of the pocket of her lab coat and was clutching it now in her hand.

“Miss Willems, you need to come with us!” demanded a broad shouldered man with a machine-gun in his hands.

“Why should I do that? I do not know who you are” she stated, calm and controlled as ever. Chuck was astounded for a second but sprang to life when the leader of the half-dozen soldiers came marching around the desk and grabbed her violently at the upper arm.

“How dare you!” But before he could cross the distance to punch him he was gripped tightly by two of the soldiers.

“Stand clear, Ranger Hansen! When you promise to not interfere my men will let you go.” He didn’t give him an explanation, just proceeded to drag her out. Chuck hesitated, but nodded in the end, and the soldiers let him go. In that moment she lunged forward and tugged at Chuck’s belt. The soldier yanked her back aggressively and pulled her out of the room. Chuck couldn’t do much against six soldiers so he didn’t bother trying. Instead he reached for the phone on her desk and dialled the number of his Dad’s office.

“This is the Marshall’s office, Mori speaking.”

“Mako! I need to speak to Dad. Annabelle has been abducted by a bunch of soldiers who didn’t identify themselves. They’re not from the Shatterdome, I’m sure.”

“Chuck? What do you mean?” Mako scrunched her face.

“Exactly what I’ve said. When we’re quick maybe we can catch them.” He was about to hang when he heard Mako calling his name.

“Chuck, hold on! Tendo just came in and told me about a helicopter departing without permission.”

He swore under his breath. “Fuck! I’ll be with you in a minute.” Now he really hung up. Then he remembered her approach before she had been pulled away. He felt inside the waistband of his pants and found the gemstone with which she had saved him and Raleigh. Why would she leave it in his care? Only if...

He hurried down to the Marshall’s office where they had already gathered. They looked expectantly at him.

“Tell me, son, what’s going on?” Herc came towards him.

Instead of an answer, he thrust the necklace on Herc’s desk.

“What is this?” his father asked, leaning over the desk to look at it. Mako, Raleigh and Tendo leaned in as well.

“This is a magical stone. With it, she has rescued me from the nuclear explosion and brought Raleigh back from the coma. She left it with me in a hurry before she was taken away so I suspect they’re after it.”

Mako carefully took it in her hand and examined the characters carved in it. “If I only knew what is written there” she mumbled.

“Does that matter now? We have to find out who kidnapped her!”

“Easy, Chuck. When we know more about the stone we’ll certainly know who’s so keen on getting it” Tendo tried to calm him.

Raleigh stepped at his side and put an arm around him, murmuring in his stupidly soothing voice words of comfort. But Chuck didn’t want to lose his tension. His mind worked best when tempered up. Then he had an idea. “Okay, was anybody clever enough to memorize the serial number of the helicopter? If we know that we can track it down. When that’s clear we can follow it.” He looked around to see how the others took his plan.

“The helicopter number is the great unknown quantity but once we’re past this it should work. At least that’s the best we have at the moment” Herc acknowledged after a moment of consideration. He turned to Tendo. “Who reported the helicopter taking off?”

Tendo kneaded his brow, then “That was, uh, Bronswick, soldier of the fourth department. I’ll call him up.” He took the phone and ordered the soldier to the office.

A minute later it knocked at the door and the person in question came in when Herc granted permission. “Bronswick, at your service!” He saluted.

“You reported the helicopter taking off?” Herc inquired.

“Yes, sir.”

“And you didn’t stop it?”

“No, sir. The captain said he had an urgent mission to attend with Miss Willems.”

“The captain?”

“Captain Bert Roman, sir. He showed me his ID.”

The people in the room exchanged quizzical looks. “As far as we are aware, Captain Roman has resigned from service last year. Did the man look like he was seventy years old to you?”

“No, sir. I assume he was in his forties” the soldier answered dutifully though with a furrowed brow.

“Was he about six feet eight and had a buzz cut?” Chuck asked, it was all taking too long for him.

The soldier nodded. “That is what he looked like.”

Chuck nodded. “That’s the one who grabbed her. Now, to the important question: What was the serial number of the helicopter?”

“203-74089, sir.”

Tendo furrowed his brow. “That’s none of our fleet. But who would come here and abduct our radiologist for the sake of a magical stone?”

While Tendo was ranting, Mako bent over the table and grabbed the telephone. She motioned everyone to stay silent. “Hong Kong, PPDC, Mori speaking. I need information about a military helicopter which has landed and departed on our helipad without permission…Yes, I have.” She repeated the number and waited. “Thank you, ma’am.” She hung up and dialled the next number. Everyone around nervously fidgeted with their hands or had crossed them impatiently over their chest. The call took a little longer than the other, with Mako growing more and more agitated. At one point, she even stamped her foot and the impact resonated so much in the metal surroundings that everyone was startled to attention again.

When she ended the call, her eyes had narrowed and she looked positively intimating. “They are so screwed” she muttered, so unlike her usual composed self. Then she became aware of her surroundings and gestured everyone except Herc out of the office

***

It was one of the rare days that the sun shone over Hong Kong. Mako was pacing to and fro on the helipad, worrying about the well-being of her friend. Tendo stood beside her, binoculars around his neck that he was lifting off every now and then to scan the horizon. Newton and Hermann had come out, too, to welcome the rescue party. Mako really hoped that they could liberate Annabelle. She still couldn’t believe that the NSA operated with such shady methods but thankfully the U.S. American government for once had followed immediately when the U.N. had put their foot down.

A shuffle of feet behind her snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned and was surprised to see Chuck standing there. “Were you not supposed to be on the trip?”

He was clearly sulking. “Dad thought it better to take someone more level-headed with him. He was sure I’d throw a tantrum then and there.”

“And with more level-headed he meant Raleigh?” Mako had raised an eyebrow.

Chuck just shrugged. “With all due respect to my old man: Sometimes I think he doesn’t see clearly anymore.”

Before he could further rant about his dad’s misjudgements Tendo cried out. “Guys, I think I see them!”

They instantly turned and strained their eyes to indeed spot black specks that were drawing steadily nearer. Soon the roar of helicopters filled the air as they set down on the helipad. Herc was the first to emerge, sporting a relieved grin that made Mako break out in happy tears. The others, even Chuck, were grinning relaxed. Next in the helicopter door was Raleigh who steadied a visibly shocked Annabelle. She was shaking all over, her usually neatly combed bangs were greasy and askew and her lab coat showed stains that looked suspiciously like blood. When she stood on firm earth again, Mako was immediately at her side, embracing her tightly, then holding her out at an arm’s length to examine her face. It was covered in cuts and bruises. Mako’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh, this will have consequences! I don’t care how important the NSA is, they cannot just treat you like that.”

Annabelle tried a crooked smile but failed spectacularly. She lifted her eyes off her friend and looked around the people that had now gathered around them. She still couldn’t believe she had survived the torture and pain and was now again surrounded by people who genuinely cared for her. The realization overwhelmed her so much that she burst into tears. To everyone’s surprise, Chuck stepped to her side and took her from Mako. He held her tightly, stroking her black hair that had lost the hair band long ago.

“Shh”, he murmured “it’s all good now. Everything’s alright.” He scooped her up in his arms and brought her into the Shatterdome, the other’s following suit. The crews and soldiers quickly stepped out of the way and looked after the procession, some puzzled and some relieved. They made their way to the infirmary. All the way, Chuck was cursing in his head just like Mako had. Nobody deserved to be treated like this.

When they reached the patient’s room he laid her down on one of the beds and stood back while nurses bustled around her, taking off her glasses, her heavy boots and helping her out of her lab coat. They brought her water and a pill he suspected was a sleeping pill. Then they covered her in a blanket and shushed everyone out of the room. Herc demanded them all into his office.

***

After dinner, Chuck slipped into the patient’s room. He was briefly haunted by the image of Raleigh in a coma but he chased it away with a shake of his head. Then he sat down beside her and watched her breathing evenly. The wounds in her face had been tended to, and when he gently took her hand he discovered that it had been patched up with band-aids from two sides under the bandage. His eyes widened in horror. What had they driven through it? A nail? Immediately, all his anger was back but then he got distracted when she shifted in the bed.

Her eyes opened slowly and she managed to utter a slurred “Chuck?”

He smiled gently and stroked her wrist, careful not to come in touch with the bandage. “Hi. How do you feel?”

Despite her drowsy state she shot him a sarcastic look. “Does that question really require an answer?”

“Suppose not. But you can’t feel too bad when you’re already able to give sophisticated answers” he teased her.

She rolled her eyes, then winced. Eyerolling hadn’t been that good of an idea. “You know that this is how my brain is poled. Are you the first to sit at my bed?”

“Oh no, the whole lot has been here already, separately of course. Though they all reported that you were fast asleep during their visits.”

She snorted.

“What?” He looked at her quizzically. She just shook her head and yawned instead of an answer. “I should leave you to get some more sleep. Is there anything I can bring you? A glass a of water maybe?”

An uncharacteristically sheepish look appeared on her battered face. “There is something. It sits on my bed, right next to the pillow. Would you mind getting it for me?”

He nodded, wondering what this could be. He got up, walked out of the room and sauntered over to her dorm located at the end of the infirmary floor. Cautiously, he opened the door and peered into the dark. She had given him her permission but it still felt strange to be in a private place he had never seen before. He turned on the light, looked at the bed and spotted the requested piece in an instant. He couldn’t help but laugh.

Back in the patient’s room, Annabelle didn’t dare to look at him. “Have you found it?” she asked and judging by her tone, she was beet-red.

Chuck smirked. “I have. What’s the name of the little fellow?”

Now she looked kindly at him. “It’s Tina.”

He held the plush toy dog in front of his face and shook its paw. “Nice to meet you, Tina.” That earned him a soft laughter from her. He set the dog in the crook of her elbow and said to it, with an index finger held high, “Take good care of her, will you?”

 She laughed again and looked up at him. “Thank you.”

He shook his head. “Not for that.” Then he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss on a part of her forehead that was not patched up. Suddenly he felt a subtle touch at his stubbly chin. He looked down at her, questioningly. She lifted her head until her mouth was flush with his and leaned in a little. But she waited for him to close the gap, to give his consent.

The kiss was delicate, merely their lips brushing together, but it was enough for a pleasant excitement to tingle her spine. She felt better now. When they parted, she mouthed “Thank you”.

 He stroked her cheek lightly with his calloused thumb, then said “Good night. I hope you sleep well.”

She smiled. “You too. Thanks for stopping by, Chuck.”

He retreated to the door, gaze tacked on her, and waved before he finally left the room.

***

Annabelle stayed in the infirmary for a week, mostly because of her hands. One got contaminated but the doctors managed to tame the infection with antibiotics. On his daily visits Chuck started to notice how restless this woman was. Whenever he came in, she sat in front of her laptop, dictating it paragraphs and whole pages of what seemed to be an essay for a renowned medical paper. When she wasn’t talking to her computer, she read heavy volumes. He never saw her unoccupied.

On the day she was allowed back to regular life he couldn’t keep his opinion any longer to himself. “Sheesh, if you go on like that I suspect your head is going to burst sometime soon.”

She laughed at this and shut the book. “What brings you here today, Chuck?”

He shrugged. “Just the usual.” After a pause he added, the dimples in his cheeks virtually glowing, “You.”

She scratched her neck. “You are not flirting with me, are you?”

A smug grin appeared on his face. “Do you think I’m successful?” Then he shook his head. “Nah, I’ve tried this before and it didn’t work.”

Now she raised her eyebrow. “I cannot believe it! Chuck Hansen backs away from a challenge.” When he wanted to sneer at her she quickly waved her hand. “Don’t be a fool, Chuck, I was only joking. I very much cherish your demureness. The kiss was nice, I mean, I was the one who initiated it, but otherwise I don’t have the intention of deepening our relationship beside the emotional amicable aspect. I enjoy your company very much as it is.”

He covered his face with his hands, then burst out laughing. “If I had to make a list about why I’m not really considering dating you then the first point would be the way you talk. That can be a real mood-killer.”

She snorted. “Thanks for the flowers, much appreciated. Now would you be so kind to help me out of here? Staying in bed because your hands are perforated is not the most pleasant way to spend one’s day.” He came over and lifted the book from her lap and pulled back the duvet. He discovered that instead of the hospital shirt she now wore her own clothing again: a jeans shirt and khaki pants, her version of a uniform. She swung her legs out and tried to skitter to the edge of the bed without the aid of her hands. Deciding that he had seen enough of this he took hold of her upper arms and gently lifted her off the bed.

She rolled her eyes. “Did you not notice that I have perfected the art of getting out of bed without hands in the last few days? If only you weren’t so impatient.” She sighed but the smile on her face gave her away. Looking around to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything, she led the way and beat him to the door. “Only because my hands are wrapped in gauze doesn’t mean I can’t open doors. I still have elbows.” He just rolled his eyes in response.

When they reached her room she sighed heavily. He eyed her from the side. “What? Are you happy to have escaped the infirmary at last? I thought you are a doctor?”

“You have no idea. I hate being a patient. There is nothing you can do. But, alas, I will not be allowed back to work until my hands are fully healed. Which won’t be in at least another two weeks.”

“But you have your books to distract you and that essay you were talking about with your computer.” He chuckled. The first part was meant genuinely but the last part had been too hilarious to witness to not mention it now.

“You are so easily amused, Chuck. Instead of making fun of me you could prove yourself of use and make us a cup of tea.” She had sat down in the meantime, hands folded in her lap, and looked strangely forlorn. Suddenly Chuck realized how much her work meant to her and how useless she must feel when she couldn’t do it. Instead of giving her a hard time by teasing her for the “us” in her request he just silently complied. She was so crazy about tea she even had a kettle and cups in her dorm.

While the water started to boil he sat down beside her and put an arm around her. She leaned into his strong chest and sighed. It hadn’t escaped him how often she had sighed today. Then he had an idea. “Annabelle, you once said that I should try something new.”

She only responded with a weak “mmh”, not sure where this was leading.

“What do you think about me helping you with your daily business? I could be your secretary, writing down all the brilliant ideas that sprout from your mind. You tell me how to calibrate that strange thing used for testing radiation in one’s body and what else needs to be done. This would be sure as hell a lot of fun.” He beamed down at her and patted himself internally on the shoulder.

“You would do that for me?” Her face was a single question mark.

“’Course. I would also do it for me, so to speak, but mostly because I cannot stand seeing you miserable any longer.” Self-satisfied did he notice how her face lit up slowly.

“Well, if you insist; who am I to bar your way to self-improvement?” It was a good sign that she had gone back to speaking posh. His laugh rumbled low in his chest and she leaned against it again, just to feel the vibrations. Right then the kettle started to whistle. Talk about bad timing. But he made no move to get it, she registered surprised but also pleased. Following a sudden impulse, she ducked from under his arm and let herself fall on the bed, eyes tacked to the ceiling. She heard the surprised sound he had made when she had escaped his arm but she didn’t look. He either followed her or he didn’t. Two possibilities and she was content with both. Only a second later did she feel how the mattress bent under the new weight added to it. Her arm brushed against his and she smiled.

“The kettle’s going to be cold” he said after a while though he sounded like he wasn’t really caring.

“So be it.” She shifted around on her elbows, kicking the pillow off the bed, and rested her feet against the wall. Her head now lay on his broad upper body. “Is that alright with you?” She felt his response more than she heard it; a low tone that vibrated in his chest. Feeling calm and snug like a kitten beside the oven, she started to hum a slow and solemn tune.

He listened to it for a while before he asked “What’s that song? Never heard it.”

She stopped and craned her neck to look at him. “Probably because it’s from the German gothic rock band ASP. It’s part of their album about a Sorbian folk tale.”

“And that’s what you listen to?” He was not very familiar with European folklore or pop culture and that type of music had also escaped him back home in Australia. When he listened to music at all, it were his dad’s old records from the nineties, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and stuff like that.

“Sometimes. My sister’s much deeper in the scene, dresses up all in black, and when there’s a concert she also sports a white-painted face and Alice Cooper-like make-up. The few songs I know I picked up when she was listening to them in her room on full volume.”

He hesitated for a moment, then asked “And your brother?”

She answered with a low chuckle. “Always clashing with my sister when she terrorized him with her loud music. He likes folk and singer/songwriter and writes his own songs as a pastime. His big hero is Bob Dylan.” Before he could ask her about herself she went on “As stupid as it sounds, I listen to a bit of everything, depending on my mood. When I do my research it’s mostly contemporary classical music in the background. When I need to escape the Shatterdome mentally, I like Symphonic Metal, which is anyway quite popular in Northern and Western Europe. And when I’m irritated-“

He interrupted her. “I’ve never seen you irritated.”

She shook her head, he felt it if even though he didn’t see it. “Yes you have. Our first date ended like that. But I guess I know what you mean. Most of the time I can control myself. Anyway, _when_ I’m angry, I rage to bassy rap and hip-hop.”

That earned her a booming laughter whose vibrations made her hair stand to attention. “Oh dear, what a sight to behold, I guess. I’m just imagining how you kick your dustbin while Briggs spits out _Sheplife_.”

She furrowed her brow. “Who?”

There was swish noise when Chuck waved his hand. “Never mind. He’s an indigenous Australian rapper. But now we’re even, I suppose.”

Silence endured that was not long after his remark broken again by her humming. She picked up at the line she’d last sung. His eyelids started to droop and soon he was fast asleep. She didn’t notice until she heard his soft snoring and couldn’t help but smile. She moved again and snuggled up at his side, head lying on his outstretched arm and one hand gently resting on his taut stomach.

***

Annabelle wandered down into the mess with her spirits high. She must have sung herself to sleep yesterday, and when she had woken up this morning she had been still curled in the foetal position. But Chuck had been missing. She hadn’t minded that too much, the time spent with him had been nice. And it wasn’t like she had a crush on him, even though there were rumours circulating that stated the opposite. But she didn’t really care about them. People in enclosed spaces needed some distraction, and one of the most frequent forms of this was gossip.  
When the breakfast lady had put the tray on her outstretched arms she ambled over to the table where Mako, Raleigh and Chuck were already sitting. Mako and Raleigh smiled, happy to see her out of the sickbay again. But Chuck shot her an unintelligible look.

“What’s the matter with you, _mate_?” She really had to come up with a suitable nickname for him, the Aussie slang just wasn’t cutting it for her.

“Nothing, _necromancer_ , just found more evidence that the nickname I jokingly gave you fits you more than I prefer?”

“I beg your pardon? I only observe that you slowly start to adopt my speaking manners.” She sat down and grinned but he wasn’t returning it with his usual disarming smile.

“What the heck is going on between you two?” Raleigh sounded rather amused.  

“Interests me as well” Mako piped up and leaned her elbows expectantly on the table, shoving her tray aside.

Chuck stared at Annabelle for a moment longer before he answered “I’ve now figured out the song you hummed last night and, honestly, why did you do that?” He might as well have spoken Afrikaans and it wouldn’t have been more understandable. Even Annabelle had trouble catching up with his train of thought. When he saw the confusion in his friends’ eyes he realized he had to make his meaning plainer. “Last night, when I had brought her to her dorm from the infirmary, we chilled a little and she started to hum a song. I thought it was a lullaby because, yeah, it lulled me to sleep. But I checked and it’s actually a song about someone welcoming death at the end of a stressful, miserable life as an apprentice at a mill where dark magic was performed. At least that’s what Hermann told me after I showed him the text. Really a song for sleep.” The last remark came out in a snarl.

Annabelle started laughing the moment he mentioned “welcoming death”. She only recovered after a few deep gulps of air. “Considering that death is also called ‘the brother of sleep’ this link isn’t too farfetched. But I see where your uneasiness comes from. Most of the time, I don’t pay too much attention to the text, honestly. I just like the unhurried and sombre tone. Helps me to relax.”

Chuck sneered and then pierced an apple slice with so much force it split in half. 

“Yo, Chuck, what is your problem?” Raleigh put his bear paw of a hand on the lower arm of his boyfriend but he shrugged him just off.

“Aye, leave me alone, you bloody wanker!” With that he grabbed his metal tray so hard he dented it, and stormed off.

Raleigh huffed disappointedly and looked at Mako with his eyebrows raised. She just shrugged and got up. “I’ll go after him, look what’s wrong.”

When she had left, Raleigh looked at Annabelle. She held up her hands in defence. “I didn’t do anything wrong, at least not that I can remember. Yesterday I really thought we had made progress in our friendship.” He just sighed in response. “What?”

He got up and waved. “Never mind.”

“Raleigh!” she called after him, annoyed and confused, but he just shook his head while walking towards the stairs. She stared down on the table, snorted and absent-mindedly shook her head while the whole mess was watching her. Then she stood up, still lost in thought, and left as well.

***

Mako found Chuck in Striker’s old bay, looking out at how the Jaeger was steadily being dismantled. “Oh Chuck”, she said in sympathy, knowing only too well what this sight would to do him.

“Can you not, for once, just leave me the hell alone?” he swore and turned. The blood drained from his face when he saw who had been talking to him. “Oh fuck, I’m sorry Mako. I didn’t mean it like that.” She smiled, a little sad, and reached up to rest her small hand against his cheek.

“What’s bothering you? Is it indeed Annabelle’s fault?”

He leaned into the soft touch and closed his eyes. “Nah, not really. I don’t quite know why I was so angry at her. She was actually the first to give me a proper advice of what I could do with my life after _this_ -“ he gestured over his shoulder where his Jaeger was slowly torn to bits “is over. She’s kinda right, I can’t live my old life anymore but I’m not sure if I want to start something new already.”

Mako nodded. “I understand. What kind of advice did she give you anyway?”

“She told me to try something else, something I’ve always wanted to do. Or to see, for that matter.” He opened his eyes.

Mako looked slightly puzzled. “You mean, like a vacation?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, maybe. Yesterday I offered to be her secretary, with her hands being wounded and stuff. But perhaps, perhaps, a vacation is just what I need. The last time I was on holidays was twelve years ago. Mum, Dad and I were in Darwin.” The memory of his family, still intact, hiking through a lush and bountiful jungle tore at his mind and he closed his eyes again to fight the tears that threatened to roll down his face. He felt petite arms being wrapped around his waist. Instinctively, he embraced her as well, holding her tightly. “Thanks Mako” he whispered.

They stood like that for quite a long time. In the end, Chuck released her.

“So?” She looked at him expectantly.

He raised an eyebrow. “What ‘so’?”

She smiled. “Did you make up your mind where you want to go? I guess you want to take Raleigh with you. But if you don’t mind I’d like to accompany you. It’s been awhile that we have engaged in mutual shenanigans.” Her voice was positively thrumming with excitement.

He grinned in return. “You want to go with _me_ on vacation? Oh Mori, you have no idea what you let yourself in for.”

She shot him a playfully scolding look. “Come on, Hansen. I’ve ripped a Kaiju in half a thousand feet above the earth, I’m not going to get intimidated by the prospect of spending a few weeks with you at a sandy beach. Or wherever you want to go.”

The prospect of warm sand under his bare feet, the sea lazily licking at the beach and the sun flaring from the sky to burn his skin was enough to lift his mood. He beamed, dimples flashing. “Yes! We go to the beach, somewhere nice and hot. I’m fed up with this rainy, draughty city. Let’s grab Ray and Max and get out of here!” He was already at the stairs when she called him back with a piercing whistle.

“Not so fast, Chuck. I have to leave instructions behind, otherwise everything goes downhill when I’m gone. We need Herc’s approval and Raleigh has to be exempt from work at the construction sites. That will at least take two days” she informed him with a stern face. Then her expression softened. “But why don’t you start packing and looking up some good offerings while you’re at it.”

He mock-saluted with a grin. “Copy that, Mori!” Then he jumped down the stairs, taking two rungs at a time. She shook her head, smiling.

***

Their cab to the airport was supposed to go in fifteen minutes. Raleigh stood with Max at the entrance and waited for his loved ones to arrive. It was a habit of his to be everywhere earlier than agreed upon.  
He checked his watch: ten minutes to go. Still no need to worry, but patience had never been his strong suit. To distract himself, he got down on his knees and cuddled with the bulldog who gave an appreciating bark.

Mako paid Annabelle a last visit. She felt kind of guilty to leave her behind but somebody needed to help Herc and Tendo in case things got complicated and Annabelle also still had to take care of her hands. Though the doctors were quite surprised about her exceptional healing process.

“It would be so much fun to have you with us” Mako reassured her.

Annabelle waved. “I know that, Mako, your sympathy is much appreciated. But, as you said, someone needs to stay behind and I’m absolutely certain that these-“ she extended her hands, still tightly bandaged “should not go anywhere near salt water or sand. Don’t fuzz about me, it will only ruin your holiday and you’re at the forefront of those who have definitely deserved it. I wish-“

She was interrupted by the door being torn open. A wheezing, red-faced Chuck stood in the doorway, two duffel bags over his shoulders. “You” he said breathlessly and indicated Annabelle “come with us!”

“Chuck, no! What did we just talk about at breakfast? How can you be so hard-headed?” Mako was talking fast and gesticulated wildly. She sometimes couldn’t believe she had bear with this person, no matter how much she liked him.

She felt a soft touch on her shoulder. “Mako, maybe we should hear him out?” Annabelle turned to Chuck. “What makes you believe this? As Mako said, everything indicates to me staying here.”

Instead of an answer Chuck threw Mako a necklace. The two women looked at it bewildered. He sighed when they didn’t immediately get his intention. “Heal yourself, will ya? I checked with Dad and Tendo, they say they are perfectly fine without you, considering that you’re on sick leave and not allowed to officially work anyways.”

Annabelle knitted her brow. “I’m not sure I can heal myself.”

“Then try! The cab’s leaving in ten minutes and I already packed your duffel bag.”

“You packed-“ Recovering her wits, she took the gemstone in her cupped hands, closed her eyes and started to chant a formula. At first, nothing happened and Mako shot him a reproachful look. But instead of admitting his guilt he nodded his head towards Annabelle’s hands. Indeed, the gemstone had now started to glow more intense and the green rays had wrapped themselves around her palms. They both watched the spectacle in awe. As quick as they’d come, the snakes of light retreated back to the stone. Annabelle slowly opened her eyes and looked, not yet convinced, down at her hands.

“May I?” Mako asked cautiously and gently plucked at the gauze. Annabelle nodded. Mako slowly unwrapped the bandage on both hands and then removed the band aids. Under them was nothing but intact skin. “It worked!” Mako sounded more than surprised.

“Told you. Now let’s get going.” Just when he was about to turn, a skittering Raleigh crashed into him. Chuck could luckily steady himself on the doorframe and prevented a panting Raleigh from falling to the floor.

“Guys, where the heck are you? The cab’s arrived.”

“Excellent! Annabelle, catch!” Chuck threw her the second duffle bag and she caught it with ease, slinging it over her shoulder in a single motion.

“Wait, what? Do you come with us?” Raleigh looked like a dumbfounded puppy. His expression was so hilarious to Mako that she started laughing.

Annabelle shrugged. “Looks like it. You cannot run when the natural force that is Chuck Hansen comes for you.”

Raleigh glanced incredulously at Chuck.

“What? I couldn’t just leave her. Were like a four-leaf clover. You wouldn’t rip that apart, now would you?”

The comment about their friendship made Annabelle glow and a pleasant warmth spread in her chest. Finally Chuck had accepted her as one of them. She couldn’t be any more happier at the moment but the prospect of spending a couple of weeks with these three dorks at a beach in Brisbane didn’t sound too bad, either.

**Author's Note:**

> You can easily forget about the whole NSA commotion. I just needed an incident where Chuck realized that he cared for Annabelle.
> 
> What I have realized, however, that in both instalments Max is missing. Shame on me. I guess another chapter is necessary.
> 
> Also, my attempt at Aussie slang is quite poor. But I’m quite happy about how the part after the rescue turned out.


End file.
